September 23, 2009

Fix Your Money Worries in Just 20 Minutes?... Develop the
Habits You Need in Order to Create Wealth and Success...
Master These Power Persuasion Techniques... Create Info
Product Content Faster with Contributions... and More.

If you've ever met with a financial planner, then you most likely know that there are no "quick fixes" for your money situation.

Many, if not all, will take you through years of cost-cutting and spending streamlining to help you get to your goals. And, their methods can and do work for many people.

But, when it comes to looking years ahead, it's easy to lose track and give up on your budget. That's why I want to introduce you to a 20-minute solution that could get you on track to reaching your money dreams, faster.

You can do this simple technique without leaving your house and it shouldn't even cost you a dime. Sounds interesting, right?

This 20-minute technique starts with cutting out the clutter in your financial life. If you walk in to a messy room it is easy to get disoriented and lose focus and the same thing happens when your finances are in a mess.

Removing the clutter is done by simplifying your accounts and closing those you don't need.

How many banks do you use? Do you have a few near-empty accounts that are collecting more dust than interest? If you do, close them. Dreaming of filling up all of those accounts will only distract you from actually finding ways to fill just one.

While having multiple credit cards can benefit some people  (usually the people who pay them off each month), if you're carrying debt, try to consolidate these payments. Ask for reduced interest rates and close accounts you feel are getting out of control.

Once you've completed these tasks (which are sometimes done in several 20-minute sessions), then you can focus on simplifying other areas of your life where money comes into play.

That means cutting out unnecessary bills by canceling services or bundling them should your service provider offer this.

Now, many people can make cost-cutting their number one priority, but in order for my technique to work, you should limit yourself to just 20 minutes at a time. That way you keep time to yourself and to use towards making more money.

If you're frustrated with where your life is at and you're not accomplishing the success you deserve, then something needs to be done. However, no one is going to do it for you, and winning the lottery is not something you should count on. You have to realize it for yourself. Many things can happen that can change your perspective. It can come to you suddenly in a flicker of realization, much like a lightbulb clicking on in your brain during a "eureka" moment.
 
You just realize all of a sudden that there is something that you need to do, that you should be doing, that you haven't done up until this point. That moment of actualization is your calling. I'll never forget my "eureka" moment. 
 
It happened when a marketing director at a national bank offered to pay me $500.00 to write a two-page sales letter. I thought, "Five hundred for a two-page letter? I'm getting! into the letter-writing business." Of course, when I found out that they were paying their ad agency $5,000.00 for the same thing, I quickly raised my price!
 
Your "eureka" moment could hit you in the same way. On the other hand, it could come during times of great stress, such as during a job loss, when you recognized that you should be doing something else. Or it could come to you after you have lost a loved one and come to terms with your own mortality. 
 
During this moment, you'll realize that life is short and that you need to get moving toward making it better for yourself and toward leaving behind a legacy. Your coping skills will give you strength that you might not otherwise have found to move forward and progress. You can see your potential during times of great joy as well. You are inspired when a baby is born, you fall in love, or your chil! dren go off to school. The future looks bright, and sudd! enly new perspectives become clear and goals easier to pursue. You are riding on a wave of positive energy, and nothing seems impossible. You feel indestructible and are able to grasp the opportunities around you that you might not have seen before.
 
Sometimes, you spend a lot of time thinking about your potential because of something someone else has said to you. Maybe they told you that you fell short somewhere. Maybe they've criticized you. You might have grumbled or nurtured a grudge about what they told you. However, perhaps then you went away, thought about it, and realized that maybe what they said was true.
 
There may be times when you have been told about your greatness from someone who was objective and confident enough to tell you. For example, it could have been a teacher who motivated you to achieve all your goals, or a friend who pointed out your ! best qualities to you. Things you might not have recognized on your own suddenly became substantial through the eyes of another person.

Regardless of what triggers your eureka moment, the only way to see it through and keep the momentum going is to actively seek out what is inside of you. You need to overcome the fears you harbor by taking risks and experimenting -- and you continue to improve and strengthen yourself to move toward your goals. 
 
Potential never remains constant; it changes over time. What you strive to do next week or next month may differ from where you see yourself next year. But you need to get into the habit of recognizing the phases of your greatness and cultivating them. Human beings are creatures of habit. We do the same things over and over again, and yet we expect different results for some reason. The fact is that, sooner or later, something has to give.
 
If you want to change your life, even if you plan out how you will succeed at your goals, nothing will help yo! u achieve what you haven't achieved up until this moment until you change your way of thinking and your actions.

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to have an innate ability to get other people to do exactly as they please? It's almost like these people have control over others; like they hypnotize them or something to do what they want, when they want. Sometimes, all you can do is just sit back and scratch your head and wonder how it happens.

Or, you could just become one of these people. You see, the power of persuasion is not a special gift people have. Rather, it is a skill they have acquired. Therefore, if you wanted to get people to do whatever you wanted, you probably could. Imagine the possibilities!

The first thing you have to do to be able to persuade people is to appear that you are knowledgeable, trustworthy and friendly. And it may be shallow, but most people have formed this opinion of you the second they've laid eyes on you. Therefore, to be convincing, you first have to look the part. Look put together, clean and groomed. This allows you to look more commanding and confident, two keys to effective persuasion.

Next up, you're going to need to work on your body language and voice projection. You're going to want to have a laid-back, confident stance. Too tight and you'll seem nervous, which will let your audience think you're not being honest with them. Also, if you're hunched over, it makes you look disheveled and that lacking in confidence. Keep your shoulders back and your posture straight (but relaxed) and confident. Remember, the more confidence you can project, the more believable you are.

With your speech, you're going to want to project your voice in a clear manner that is not too fast, using emotion to emphasize different points. This way, it shows your audience that you are a real person with real human emotion. Getting passionate can help win people over. In terms of voice speed, control it so your words are clear and easy to follow. Too fast and people can't keep up; too slow and they get bored.

When you're talking, you've got to sell the dream. You need to take the person where you're going through imagery. You need to make it so that they lose sense of what's actually around them, and imagine where you're telling them they can be. Choose descriptive, colorful words that appeal to that person's emotions.

Finally, your words have to have substance. If you're making claims, they can't be based strictly on opinions alone. There have to be facts and evidence to back them up. Using data, as well as personal experience, can greatly help persuade people.

After all that, you must ask the person if they are willing. A call to action is essential, otherwise all the work you put in was done for nothing. Seal the deal with a "yes" from your audience!

If you're looking to get a little more from people, try these tips to master the art of persuasion. It's truly a great skill to have!

** Create Info Product Content Faster with Contributions
By James Burt, Online Marketing Expert

I just got back from visiting a friend and fellow info marketer. He wanted to show me his new sports stats and information book that was fresh off the press. It was a very attractive product to say the least -- nice, well-designed cover, great text format and writing, and stats for the ages. If you were ever a sports info junkie, this might be the book for you.

But when I flipped to the back page, I was expecting just to see his photo and bio information alone. To my surprise, there was him and four other people listed there.

"Hey, who are they?" I asked.

"My crew," he said. "My contributors."

My bud had brought in a group of associates to help him create the content for the book. This was odd. My bud is a loner with a capital "L" and has always done all of his content creation, business dealings, and research completely on his own. When I asked him about it, his answer was simple and blunt.

"Sometimes you can't do everything by yourself."

I like to work alone, too, so I started asking myself why would you get a contributor for your business? And I kept coming back to my friend's answer. You just can't do everything.

Actually, there are a number of reasons. Most of the info marketers I have communicated with get fellow contributors to help them with large projects or to contribute new ideas and concepts. As another colleague put it, information marketing often is a "one brain affair" and sometimes that brain needs a rest and some outside assistance. Other times it's for business help, research assistance, or some other aspect of the business that the original info marketer isn't so strong in.

Getting contributors often takes more analysis than any other venture of your info marketing business. You've been the lone gun all along and now you are bringing others into your business. Don't take this as a severe hardship. If you decide to take on outside help for your business, just take some extra time and steps to ensure you get the best for your business.

First of all, see who's out there. If you're going to get help, make sure it's someone who can contribute ideas you agree with. Often people just starting out are good investments, as they are eager to work, can contribute very fresh ideas, and are willing to take on the vigor of hard work. Don't knock the older generation though. They might have experience that could provide stories that you have never even encountered.

Once you see who's out there, be sure to check them out in depth. Contact them, ask to see some work, and maybe even check their references. If they are established and good at what they do, they will have the credentials to back themselves up.

Secondly, come up with a deal. Normally I'd say "check the budget," but, as my colleague Adrian Newman once showed me, you can often swing a deal that has no upfront fees. For example, you could exchange in providing free content for your contributor and they the same for you. Whatever profits are made, you can split them fairly between both parties. However, if you are intending to hire someone on a regular basis, like my friend did for his sports book, a regular payment system is necessary.

Thirdly, assign what you need completed. Remember that you are the boss of your company. Once you have worked out a deal with your contributors, give them the exact assignment they are to complete with all the requirements of the position. Come up with a work schedule and make sure you politely check up on the contributor from time to time to see how the work is coming, and what changes need to be made. Be sure to give them a scheduled payment as well as the proper credit in the finished product. If they've done the tasks correctly, they deserve it!

Getting people to contribute to your info marketing business can be very rewarding. You can make great business connections, help someone else's career while you help your own, and create fresh new products that you can sell to your clients. While the process of finding the right contributors can be daunting, it's usually worth it to have them in the end.